Republicans: The Man to Beat

Suddenly, like a brush fire racing out of control, the word crackled among informed Republicans: Goldwater's almost got it.

It seemed hardly possible. Here was Arizona's Barry Goldwater, who only a few weeks ago appeared to be flat on his back in his quest for the G.O.P. presidential nomination. He had been counted out because of the supposed political effects of John Kennedy's assassination and Lyndon Johnson's accession to the White House. He had been counted out as he campaigned about the country seeming to hate every minute of it and, entirely too...